The three phases of medical release

Base/Wing Personnel Selection Officer

• Compulsory Occupation Transfer (if applicable)
• Education Reimbursement

Base/Wing Release Section

• Release benefit information such as the IPR and move benefits
• Release clearance process administration

CAF Transition Centre / Transition Group (CAF TC / CAF TG)

• Delivery of personalized and standardized casualty support and transition services to CAF members and their families to ensure seamless transition and enhanced well-being. Special attention paid to ill and injured personnel, their families and the families of the deceased.
• Services include:
  • Casualty Support Administration
  • Administration of:
    • Reserve Force Compensation (RFC)
    • Reserve Transition Support (RTS) Policy for Reserve Force members who are ill or injured (CAFMPI 06/25) 
    • Extension of Class C service
    • Government Employees Compensation Act (GECA)
  • Return to Duty Program (RTD)
  • CAF Vocational Rehabilitation Program for Serving Members (VRPSM)
  • CAF LTD VRP
  • Transition options while posted to the CAF TG
  • Process for posting members to the CAF TG
  • Military to Civilian Transition (MCT) process and related tools:
    • My Transition Guide
    • My Transition Seminar Online Transition Training
    • My Transition App
    • MNET
    • My Skills and Education Translator (MySET)
    • Digital Transition Centre (DTC)
    • Military Transition options
  • Administration of Service Benefits for Ill and Injured Members:
    • Home and vehicle modifications
    • Home assistance
    • Attendant Care
    • Caregiver
    • Spousal Education Upgrade
    • Next of Kin Travel
  • Operational Stress Injury Social Support Program (OSISS)
  • Soldier On

Canadian Forces Health Services (CFHS) Nurse Case Manager

• Member education about health care, health conditions, MELs, and their potential military career impacts
• Coordination with members of primary care teams and partners such as CAF TG, VAC, and SISIP to ensure continued access to health services and benefits
• Provision of information, planning, and coordination for:
  • medical information and treatment
  • determination of transition complexity
  • post-release professional services (such as civilian physicians, dentists, and medical specialists)
  • organizations providing community and disease-specific support
  • post-release medication transfer
  • post-release medical record access
  • Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Service Canada access
  • Disability Tax Credit access
  • SISIP LTD access
• Collaboration with VAC case management in the development of an integrated transition care plan and the provision of discharge summary reports

Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services (CFMWS)

• Family Information Line
• CFOne program

• Administration of the Family Transition Advisor (FTA) service (that is targeted navigational support for families going through the Military to Civilian Transition process) 
  • Provide support for families leading up to date of release
  • Facilitate a Family Resiliency Screening Tool (FRST) to inform the development of a Family Transition Plan (FTP); and 
  • Provide information and referral support to foster community integration either through programming at the local Military Family Resource Centre (MFRC) or within the community.  

• Administration of Family Liaison Officer (FLO) service (that is intervention support for military families supported by the Transition Centre as well as families of the fallen)
• Administration of the Veteran Family Program (VFP) and provision of access to the Veterans Family Coordinator through MFRCs which:
• • provide support services for medically released Veterans and their families through their transition to civilian life post-release;
  • provide information and referral support to ease community integration; 
  • administer transition programs such as workshops, groups, education and awareness; and
  • Veterans of the CAF, their families and surviving family members of deceased CAF members who released on or after April 1, 2025, are eligible for VFTS. Eligible individuals have until March 31, 2027, to sign up for the telemedicine service.

Director Medical Policy (D Med Pol)

• Assignment of permanent MELs 
• Consultation with D Law Mil Pers, as required 
• Administration of members whose MELs are not considered likely to breach Universality of Service, through consultation with the member’s commanding officer. Accommodation may be possible by either:
  • Retain Without Restrictions (RWOR); or 
  • Retain and Employ Within Limitations (RWR) 
• If the MELs cannot be accommodated, the case may result in a Compulsory Medical Occupational Transfer (CMOT).  
• If the MEL is assessed as posing a high risk of breaching U of S, it is forwarded directly to DMCA for an administrative review to determine the appropriate next steps—such as a medical release or the member applying for Interim Reconstitution Employment Measures (IREM).  
• Provision of medical advice to the AR analyst and the approving authority 

Director Military Careers Administration (DMCA)

Available only on the Defence network

• Administration of the AR/MEL process, including:
  • conducting an AR/MEL if applicable,
  • coordinating the AR/MEL process on behalf of the CAF,
  • advising about the AR/MEL process,
  • consulting the D Law Mil Pers as required, and
  • ensuring that an AR/MEL conducted by the DMCA is consistent with CAF policies and procedures.

Government of Canada Pension Centre – CAF Pensions

• Provision of pension related information involving CAF members as well as health care (Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP)) and dental (Pensioners' Dental Services Plan (PDSP)) benefits 

Release Benefits Administration (RBA)

Available only on the Defence network

• Oversight of all CAF release sections
• Provision of advice and clarification of release policies
• Performance of audit functions
• Responsibility for the payment of release benefits to all CAF members (Regular Force and Reserve Force)
• Designated orderly room and administrative support section for all released members.

SSISIP Financial, a division of CFMWS

• Administration of transition financial services available for CAF members, including:
  • pre-release financial counselling (such as cash-flow management and debt management), and
  • financial planning advice (such as VAC lump sum awards, severance payments and pension transfer values/deferred annuity)
• Insurance:
  • CAF LTD Insurance
  • CAF LTD VRP
  • Insurance for Released Members (IRM)
  • Term 100 Life Insurance
  • Critical Illness Insurance
  • Travel Insurance

Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC)

• Provision of transition supports:  
  • VAC transition interview 
  • Post-release follow-ups 
  • Enhanced transition services have enabled joint consultation and case planning for medically releasing CAF members  
• Delivery of programs and services including:  
  • Health support and services 
  • Financial programs and services 
  • Rehabilitation and Vocational Rehabilitation Services 
  • Education and Training benefit  
  • Career Transition Services 
• Support for families and caregivers 
• Provision of financial support for health care benefits and services targeting veterans who are entitled to disability benefits or who are eligible for VAC’s Mental Health Benefits